Computational assessment of the thermal response of a Li-ion battery module to transient loads

Abstract

This paper provides a methodology to assess the average surface temperature of battery cells under realistic transient scenarios. Computational fluid dynamics modelling of battery cooling is conducted for the cases exposed to the ramps of internal heat generation inferred from the standard driving cycles. The results are then post-processed to determine the effectiveness of air and water as the coolant fluids. A quantitative measure of the maximum overshoot, dimensionless settling (DST), heating (DHT), and cooling (DCT) time is subsequently presented. It is shown that, compared to water, air produces a considerably delayed response to temporal changes in the internal heat generation and is slower at reaching the new steady state condition. Cooling battery cells by using water almost always ensures remaining within the safe operating range. Nonetheless, regardless of the coolant type, the long period ramps tend to produce smaller values of DST. The primary origin of the delay is the slow heat conduction within the battery cells. In addition, it is shown that water responds to changes in the internal heat generation far quicker during the heating and the cooling phases. The study highlights the importance of transient analyses for characterising the thermal behaviour of battery packs.